Mobile fire hydrant apparatus and method of providing water for firefighting

Abstract

A mobile fire hydrant (MFH) has a substantially planar rectangular base of tubing elements, with an inlet that connects to an ascending portion which has an outlet, generally configured as a fire hydrant outlet. Water or other fire abatement fluid, is pumped from a source to the MFH inlet, which then exits from the outlet in a manner very similar to that of a permanent fire hydrant. A switch mounted on the MFH controls the pump remotely through a pump cable as needed, allowing remote access to water sources at locations beyond 300 feet in distance and 75 in height, depending on pump specifications. This allows ease of water supply for firefighting in remote steep areas with streams or lakes otherwise inaccessible to firefighting equipment.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A mobile fire hydrant apparatus, comprising:
 (a) a base; 
 (b) a vertically ascending portion that ascends in a substantially perpendicular direction from said base; 
 (c) a first receptacle disposed within said base; and 
 (d) a second receptacle disposed within said vertically ascending portion; 
 (e) wherein a fluid input into the first receptacle will exit from the second receptacle after traversal of a least a portion of said base and said vertically ascending portion; and 
 (f) a switch configured to control a flow of the fluid as either on or off, wherein said switch is disposed on said vertically ascending section. 
 
     
     
       2. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the first receptacle is configured to receive a hard suction hose. 
     
     
       3. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the second receptacle is configured as a fire hydrant outlet. 
     
     
       4. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said base and said vertically ascending portion comprise a material selected from the group consisting of copper piping, steel piping, stainless steel piping, galvanized steel piping, aluminum piping, a metal, a plastic, and polyvinylchloride (PVC). 
     
     
       5. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said switch is either removably or permanently disposed on said vertically ascending portion. 
     
     
       6. The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 (a) a switch cable electrically connected to said switch; 
 (b) wherein said switch cable terminates at a switch connector. 
 
     
     
       7. The apparatus of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 (a) a pump connector, comprising a top float cable and a bottom float cable; 
 (b) a pump, comprising a top float sensor input and a bottom float sensor input; 
 (c) wherein operation of the pump is controlled on or off by the top float sensor input and the bottom float sensor input; 
 (d) wherein the top float cable is attached to the top float sensor input, and wherein the bottom float cable is connected to the bottom float sensor input; 
 (e) wherein the switch cable is connected to the pump connector; and 
 (f) wherein the pump connector comprises a connection that electrically links the top float cable and the bottom float cable in at least one place. 
 
     
     
       8. A mobile fire hydrant apparatus, comprising:
 (a) a base, comprising a first receptacle; and 
 (b) an ascending section, comprising a second receptacle; 
 (c) wherein the ascending section ascends from the base; and 
 (d) wherein the first and second receptacles are in fluid communication through the base and the ascending section; and 
 (e) a switch available to control a flow of the fluid as either on or off. 
 
     
     
       9. The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the first receptacle is configured to receive a hose. 
     
     
       10. The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the second receptacle is configured to be a fire hydrant outlet. 
     
     
       11. The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the base and the ascending portion are selected from a set of materials comprising: copper piping, steel piping, stainless steel piping, galvanized steel piping, aluminum piping, a metal, a plastic, and polyvinylchloride (PVC). 
     
     
       12. The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the switch is disposed on the ascending portion. 
     
     
       13. The apparatus of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 (a) a switch cable electrically connected to the switch; 
 (b) wherein the switch cable terminates at a switch connector. 
 
     
     
       14. The apparatus of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 (a) a pump connector, comprising a top float cable and a bottom float cable; 
 (b) a pump, comprising a top float sensor input and a bottom float sensor input; 
 (c) wherein operation of the pump is controlled on or off by the top float sensor input and the bottom float sensor input; 
 (d) wherein the top float cable is attached to the top float sensor input, and the bottom float cable is connected to the bottom float sensor input; 
 (e) wherein the switch cable is connected to the pump connector; and 
 (f) wherein the pump connector comprises an electrical connection between the top float cable and the bottom float cable in at least one place. 
 
     
     
       15. A method of pumping water from a source, comprising:
 (a) providing a pump having a pump inlet and a pump outlet; 
 (b) providing a mobile fire hydrant apparatus in fluid connection with the pump outlet at a first receptacle, the apparatus disposed at a distance from the source; 
 (c) wherein the apparatus comprises:
 (i) a base, comprising the first receptacle; 
 (ii) an ascending section, comprising a second receptacle; 
 (iii) wherein the ascending section ascends from the base; and wherein the first and second receptacles are in fluid communication through the base and the ascending section; and 
 
 (d) providing a hard suction hose between the water source and the pump inlet. 
 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 15 , further comprising providing a switch available to control a flow of the water as either on or off. 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 16 , wherein the switch is either removably or permanently disposed on the vertically ascending portion. 
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 (a) providing a switch cable electrically connected to the switch; 
 (b) wherein the switch cable terminates at a switch connector. 
 
     
     
       19. The method of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 (a) providing a pump connector, comprising a top float cable and a bottom float cable; 
 (b) providing a pump, comprising a top float sensor input and a bottom float sensor input; 
 (c) wherein operation of the pump is controlled on or off by the top float sensor input and the bottom float sensor input; 
 (d) wherein the top float cable is attached to the top float sensor input, and the bottom float cable is connected to the bottom float sensor input; 
 (e) wherein the switch cable is connected to the pump connector; and 
 (f) providing an electrical connection linking the top float cable and the bottom float cable together in at least one place. 
 
     
     
       20. The method of  claim 15 , wherein the first receptacle is configured to receive a hose fluidly connecting the pump and the apparatus. 
     
     
       21. The method of  claim 15 , wherein the second receptacle is configured to be a fire hydrant outlet. 
     
     
       22. The method of  claim 15 , wherein the base and the ascending portion are selected from a set of materials comprising: copper piping, steel piping, stainless steel piping, galvanized steel piping, aluminum piping, a metal, a plastic, and polyvinylchloride (PVC).